Having a summer company party can be quite a feat. It’s typically expected to be a big bash but that’s hard to do on a limited budget, which is the norm today. Even so, you can throw a fantastic company party that looks like you spent a year’s pay on it without it costing a fraction of the operating budget.
Below are four solid summer company party ideas.
Family First
The easiest and simplest company party is to plan a family day at a local park. Parks are free and most have picnic tables and pavilions. You should call the park to make sure of the rules concerning parking, parking fees, and pavilion rental. Most parks rent the larger pavilions, which you will need, but don’t charge for smaller picnic table pavilions.
Another bonus is that parks also come with grills at no additional cost. You can enlist a couple of C-suite executives to be the grillmasters for employees and their families for the day to serve up items like hamburgers, hotdogs, and barbecue.
The sides, like potato salad, fruit, potato chips, and baked beans can easily be made at home by company leaders which lowers food costs tremendously. You can also order them from wholesale warehouses at a reasonable cost if you don’t want anyone to cook.
You should include homemade ice cream, although you may need several ice cream makers to accommodate everyone.
Another advantage of using a park is it usually has playgrounds to keep kids entertained. Even so, you should plan out some activities to get families to meet others. Go with the old-fashioned contests like relay races, three-legged races, and cake walks.
Beach Party
Everyone loves a beach even if you aren’t on one. The lack of a beach shouldn’t stop a company from having a beach-themed party. This should be done around a pool or lake for maximum effect. Ideas could be at a gated community clubhouse or a country club. You could invite everyone to your home too, even if it would have space that accommodated everyone.
This is a super casual party so encourage people to wear beach clothes like Hawaiian shirts and floral prints. You can even have a contest for the best Hawaiian shirt!
Include activities like volleyball and hula hoop contests. This could be a party where employees get to see your playful side so live it up!
The big feature of this kind of party should be a tiki hut bar. That sets the whole vibe for the night. Include fun beach music and be sure to put seafood on the food menu!
Go Olympian
You may be one of those company owners who want to incorporate team building and competition into your summer party event. You can do that with an Olympic-style party complete with fun contests that encourage your goals.
Go out all on this theme with Greek pillars and ferns as part of your decor. Have grilled food like chicken and beef with lots of cold vegetables and salads. You don’t want your star competitors to get too full before their big events.
The Olympics has athletic feats like running and pole vaulting. You should make your activities suitable and fun for everyone. They should also be geared toward what your company does to build company loyalty.
For instance, you can do a relay event where participants carry a box of legos to each of their team members who then build something with them. The team who completes it the fastest wins, although another prize could be given for quality and originality.
The key is to get everyone involved, showcase your employee’s skills, and get them out of their comfort zones.
Include times of mingling and music during your event so it doesn’t feel like a corporate retreat. You can include families for this type of party too as they would want to cheer on their loved ones for their events.
Great Gatsby
Sometimes, you want to offer something special to employees. You know they don’t have time or money to go to fancy places. You can offer an elegant Great Gatsby-themed summer party that gives them a chance to show off their spouse and enjoy a night of wining, dining, and dancing.
The dress code doesn’t need to be tuxes and cocktail dresses but simply dresses and suits with ties.
Such an evening doesn’t have to be costly. You can choose an outdoor space lit up by a party and twinkle lights that give it an elegant vibe. Set up one or two long seating tables dressed in linens of the company color and lined with votive candles and petals. This will encourage everyone to sit together and, hopefully, talk.
The food should be simple but elegant. Things like chicken filet beasts in an orange sauce with rice and bacon-wrapped green beans are some of what you can easily, and cheaply, put on a buffet menu.
Incorporate sophisticated music like jazz or swing into the night for dancing. You will need a microphone and a master of ceremonies, even if it’s yourself, to guide the night along. Offer toasts to key employees and to the entire group to show appreciation.
This type of party would be the perfect event to issue awards and recognitions, recognize those retiring, and welcome new employees to the company.
Be sure to choose a party style that suits the personalities of your employees. You want to provide something unique for them to enjoy but don’t want to make them uncomfortable. Everyone should feel welcome and have fun at any company summer party!